Harrogate Grammar School revealed today that a pupil has tested positive for coronavirus.
The school said it had identified 45 other students who have been in close proximity to the pupil and told them to stay home for 14 days to isolate.
It did not confirm which year group had been affected.
But it said its safety measures had prevented any teachers needing to isolate.
A spokesperson from Harrogate Grammar School, said it had acted on advice from North Yorkshire County Council, adding:
“We can confirm that we have a positive case of covid in our school community. All parents have received a letter.
“We can’t confirm which year group the student is in as that is confidential. Due to year groupings and fixed seating plans for each class we have been able to identify those in close proximity and this in turn has meant the whole year group bubble has not had to self-isolate.”
Read more:
- North Yorkshire’s rate of cases stays below national average.
- Harrogate hospital says it will increase the number of tests available for staff.
Dr Lincoln Sargeant, North Yorkshire County Council’s director of public health, said:
Harrogate NHS Nightingale contract extended until end of July“We expect from time to time there will be positive cases affecting teachers, parents or pupils. This may be reflective of the background increase in cases across North Yorkshire. We will work with each school individually to determine the best approach to take depending on the circumstances.
“If you haven’t been contacted by the school, then your child is not a contact of the person who has tested positive and can continue attending school as normal. Please only get a test if you have symptoms or are instructed to by contact tracers.”
Harrogate Borough Council has extended the contract for the NHS Nightingale at the Harrogate Convention Centre until the end of July.
The HCC, which is owned by the council, was converted into Yorkshire and Humber NHS Nightingale in April in just a few weeks. It has a 500 bed capacity – but so far has not treated seen a single covid patient. The NHS said recently that it was opening up its CT scanning facilities at the Nightingale for non-covid outpatient use.
The council confirmed this evening that the NHS had “taken up its option” for an extension until July 31st.
Beds inside the NHS Nightingale- ready for covid-19 patients that have never come
Read More:
- NHS Nightingale opens up for CT scans
- Why we need to know about the future of the Nightingale at the HCC
The NHS has not payed any rent to the council for the initial contract until June but ,in May, documents that went to a council cabinet meeting stated:
Three more coronavirus deaths confirmed at Harrogate hospital“The contract does not provide for rent to be paid during the NHS occupation up to the end of June, as no planned events were being held during this period. However, should the agreement be extended there is provision for compensation in the event of the cancellation of future events.”
Harrogate District Hospital has reported that three more people who tested positive for coronavirus have died.
Today’s figures include one death from April 29 and two more deaths from Sunday and Monday this week, bringing the hospital’s total up to 54.
The deaths were recorded with a total of 244 across England’s hospitals. Patients were aged between 49 and 99 years old. Four of the 244 patients, who were aged between 51 and 78 years old, had no known underlying health conditions.
It also comes as the government releases a clear picture of confirmed coronavirus cases by lower-tier local authority – narrowing it down to the Harrogate district, rather than the wider numbers for North Yorkshire which were previously available.
According to the data released today, the Harrogate district has had 266 cases. It also includes rates per 100,000 resident population, which provides a comparable figure across the UK.
Harrogate has a rate of 165.7 which is lower than England’s rate of 248.5, Yorkshire and the Humber’s rate of 230.9 as well as North Yorkshire with a rate of 196.4.
Weekly data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also reveals how many people have died outside of hospitals. That number has been rising higher in recent weeks and is close to overtaking Harrogate hospital’s deaths.
This data goes up to May 1 and shows that there have been 48 deaths outside of hospitals. Of those, 43 deaths have been in Harrogate’s care homes, with the others in private homes or “other communal establishments.”